The Path We Take
by hymenated
Summary: Morgana offers one final warning before she leaves.  a tale of what will happen and would could have happened


-1

It all begins in the spring.

But on the other hand, nothing begins at all.

A single thread in time is sewn; Morgana speaks her mind to Uther for the last time. This is definite; it cannot change. She dreams of an uprising caused by the action Uther wishes to take; and so she pleads with him, she all but gets on her knees and begs for him to listen.

What right have you to wipe out an entire race? she demands.

All she needs is for him to listen.

He does not.

Not at first.

They are no harm to us; the druids, they live peacefully- Uther, please!

She listens to his justifications; they are laced with suspicion and a vicious hatred that Morgana knows all too well. He does not listen to her.

She has dreamed of a war; she has dreamed Arthur's death. She has seen a resentment so bitter and so strong that she has awoken some mornings cold in her bones.

Uther listens to her.

It is the last time he will ever listen to her.

In his heart, Uther cannot kill her. She leaves Camelot two days later, alone in her own small heartache. The future is hers to see, but she wonders what use is it to her when no one listens?

Arthur and Merlin come to see her on her final night, as she is escorted from the castle by guards. She looks at Arthur steadily, eyes cold and calculating. It scares him, just a little. He is unsure of himself when she approaches him, her eyes focused on his.

She places the flat of the palm against his cheek tenderly, but Arthur frowns because it is cold.

Morgana offers one final warning.

"Do not marry Gwen."

In an instant, two paths are created.

Morgana prays that Arthur will take heed.

She prays Merlin will watch over him.

In the Winter, Uther becomes ill. This too, is definite. This too, cannot change.

He dies in the beginnings of spring.

Arthur begins courting Gwen in the summer.

Merlin watches them, feels his heart swell with pride and wonder at how in love they are. Morgana's warning is far from his mind; he feels happy now, he feels free. Changes are coming to Camelot, and the future feels less heavy than before.

On the other hand, Arthur is plagued by Morgana's warning. He is distraught by his fathers death.

He does not court Gwen; instead he becomes King and he listens tiredly to Merlin confess to something that he has known for longer than Merlin realises.

Merlin worries about him, and Arthur hates it.

They marry the next Autumn.

Arthur looks happier than Merlin has ever seen him, and Gwen- she is beautiful. Everything about this day, it intoxicates Merlin with pride and bliss. Nothing, he thinks, nothing can destroy this happiness.

Arthur relieves Gwen of her servitude. He owes her that much, for all she's done. Besides, he says to her, the only one you'd really serve is Morgana.

Gwen smiles at him sadly.

They both miss her.

Merlin resents her, just a little.

Lancelot returns to Camelot by the King's request.

His return is inevitable. His return; it changes everything.

How easily Lancelot falls into the life of nobility. How easily he befriends his fellow knights.

Merlin is glad to see him, as is Arthur. He dines with them both, and Queen Guinevere.

How easily he glances at her without the notice of the King.

Lancelot returns by his own will. He is full of loyalty and burning determination. Arthur is glad to have as one of his knights.

Merlin notices the shy smiles between Gwen and Lancelot, and he himself cannot help but smile. Someone, at least, deserves a little happiness.

The affair is easy, Merlin thinks as he watches Gwen watch Lancelot. He glances at Arthur, notices his smile is a little more strained, a little less genuine.

He knows, Merlin realises as he catches the King's eye. He knows.

The day Gwen and Lancelot marry is also the day Morgana returns.

She is in Merlin's chambers when he returns to change.

"Forgive me," she says, "for the unhappiness I have caused."

Merlin isn't sure what to say.

She smiles at him, her eyes seem relieved. "The future is brighter than it has ever been."

Merlin thinks she might be right the minute they step into the court and Arthur's eyes light up a fraction.

Morgana never returns.

In the end, Gwen and Lancelot flee Camelot after a knight discovers them. Arthur watches them leave in the middle of the night, his eyes burning painfully from too many tears.

Merlin wonders when it all went wrong.

The Kingdom is not unhappy; Arthur is a good King and his people love him. Merlin doesn't think Arthur is unhappy either; just a little lonely, and a little haunted by a warning given to him almost a decade ago.

They walk together on a summers day, avoiding duties that they really shouldn't.

"I love you," Merlin says into their silence.

They do not stop walking. Arthur smiles, eyes crinkling.

"I know."

"I mean, I'd have to, to put up with you," Merlin goes on. He stops walking. "I do, though. Probably more than i should."

Arthur does not stop walking, but he does not stop smiling either.

War comes as Morgana predicted all those years ago. Gwen and Lancelot are gone, leaving only Merlin and Arthur.

Mordred is no longer the child the knew once; in his place is a man intent on revenge. Merlin can barely find it in his being to pity him.

And Arthur-

Merlin doesn't want to believe what he sees in Arthur's eyes because their future is supposed to be bright.

They sleep together one afternoon after a meeting with Morgana. She warns of Mordred's upcoming onslaught and they decide that really, it's now or never.

War comes fourteen days later.

Arthur dies in battle, alone by Mordred's blade.

Merlin is unable to save him; unable to stop it from happening. Arthur doesn't fight it and Merlin realises that all Arthur has been living for up until now is England.

Arthur does not die, but Mordred does by Merlin's hand.

Peace will take a long time to become final, but Arthur is living for England and for Merlin and he thinks that yes, it's ok. This is how he is meant to live.

In the end, Merlin thinks of Morgana's words.

In the end, they are happy.

In the end, it is always two paths instead of one.


End file.
